How does an engine “suck” in air? Like during the intake stroke it goes down which creates a low pressure area and the air rushes in. But how does all that work? How does the piston going down allow air to be pulled in? LOL please explain it as simple TY!
In: Engineering
“Sucking” is just what nature does – when there’s a low pressure area, air rushes into it, assuming it can.
Grab a big plastic bottle.. the bigger, the better, but it needs to be some thing you can squeeze it a bit, and it’ll return to its original shape after you let go. With the lid off, squeeze it a few times. When you squeeze it blows air out, but when you let go it sucks air in. Same thing in the car engine. This is even how humans breathe air.
The engine’s intake valve opens, allowing a path for air from the intake into the cylinder’s space. The piston inside the cylinder then moves downwards, meaning the amount of open space inside the cylinder effectively grows. More space becoming available sucks in air through the valve. This sucks in air. When the piston is at the top, the plastic bottle is squeezed. When it’s at the bottom, the plastic bottle is in its normal shape. And the valves are 2 lids on the cylinder, one from the intake and where fuel also comes in, and one out to the exhaust at the back of the car.
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